News

AT&T releases Navigator app for iPhone 3G, 3GS

By Charles Starrett ● Tuesday, June 23, 2009

AT&T has released its new AT&T Navigator application for the iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS. Powered by TeleNav, AT&T Navigator is a turn-by-turn direction application, offering users voice-guided and 3D on-screen GPS navigation. Features include automatic rerouting, automatic map updates, real-time traffic updates, the ability to search for gas by price, the ability to enter an address from the iPhone or prior to a trip via computer, and a database of more than 10 million business listings. AT&T Navigator is available now for the iPhone 3G with iPhone OS 3.0 update and the iPhone 3GS, and is a free download; service is $10/month and is charged directly to the user’s AT&T bill, apparently skirting Apple’s rule on charging fees for free apps after purchase.

Comments

1

Could I download this app, and pay for only one month’s service if I go on a trip? Otherwise, a $10 monthly subscription is a bad deal.

Posted by Galley in Greenville, SC on June 23, 2009 at 2:21 PM (CDT)

2

On the iTunes page it says you can cancel at anytime but deleting the App from your iPhone is not enough, you have to call AT&T directly or go online to cancel it.

Wonder price wise how this will stack up against the TomTom App that was demonstrated. Might keep the price of TomTom’s offering more reasonable than previously thought. If all else it is first out of gate (after that other one that pretty much sucked…GoKivo I think?...on first release from what I have read)

Posted by TosaDeac on June 23, 2009 at 2:42 PM (CDT)

3

Can someone explain to me the justification for charging for a GPS application? We already pay AT&T quite a bit for Data, and GPS satellites are essentially a free service… They certainly aren’t put into orbit by AT&T… I don’t understand how this is acceptable.

Posted by adam = on June 23, 2009 at 2:45 PM (CDT)

4

Why in the hell would anyone pay a monthly fee for GPS?? I sure as heck don’t have to pay that for my Garmin! What a rip-off!! $120 a year to AT&T for something I already get for free. Looks like be traveling with both my Garmin AND my iPhone. Does anyone know if TomTom is going to be asking for a monthly fee?

Posted by john_kc on June 23, 2009 at 2:56 PM (CDT)

5

So what happens if I have an unlocked iPhone and aren’t using AT&T for my carrier? Can I not use this app?

Posted by Bryce on June 23, 2009 at 3:06 PM (CDT)

6

I am not condoning this charge, but to answer #3’s question:

You are paying for the maps. TomTom, Garmin and every other big GPS name plays this way. When you buy your GPS device, a portion of the selling price is for the most recent map version. That is why you are authorized (on TomTom at least) to go out and download the newest map after device purchase. After that, updated maps used to cost $80+. Now TomTom does a quarterly map refresh that costs about $15 every 3 months. So, the total cost has dropped to $60 if you sign up for their “subscription”. That still leaves AT&T at the high end of the price spectrum.

Posted by Mitch on June 23, 2009 at 3:24 PM (CDT)

7

I’d rather pay the $25 for g-map us east… anyone tell me what this app has over the other that is worth $10 a month?

These apps having a monthly fee is ridiculous. Come on AT&T, quit the nickel and dime game.

Posted by Brent Copeland on June 23, 2009 at 3:24 PM (CDT)

8

Ok so I have an iPhone. That has google maps and a gps chip. What it won’t do with out a third party app is tell me to turn right at Habor Ave. So to me if AT&T wants to sell this gps app. With a 35 degree horizon view and a voice that I can’t hear over highway nose with maps that I get for free. Nobody should download this. (yes I know google has adtional charges for using their maps for gps uses like this one.)

Posted by David on June 23, 2009 at 3:39 PM (CDT)

9

Bleh, I’d still rather have a separate standalone unit. (And, just this morning, I saw a refurbished Garmin 660 going for $140—at that price, you just can’t justify $10/month.)

Regarding subscription vs map pricing: $10/mo ($120/yr) is still way too high, because (1) you don’t have to update your maps each year, and (2) map updates by other companies are often less than $120 (I can get an update for my Garmin for around $70-$80—heck, IIRC, I think a lifetime subscription is something like $120 or so). If I update maps, it’s generally at least every couple of years or so. And, don’t forget that, if you don’t need routing, Google maps on the iPhone is often quite adequate—you don’t need to update, and there’s no monthly fee.

12

If i’m not mistaken sprint includes this in their simply everything plan. if only the palm pre screen wasn’t too small for my liking. I will be holding out to see what TomTom decides on doing.

Posted by miles on June 23, 2009 at 6:10 PM (CDT)

13

How about this? I don’t want updated maps. I don’t care. I just want maps that are current the day I buy them. I’ll upgrade once every 4-5 years or so when I think I might need to.

I have a feeling Tom Tom and the rest are eyeing this as a move to a MORE expensive model, instead of buying a new model every 3-4 years, they can get you to pay every month. I won’t be surprised to see TomTom have the same thing, and maybe even charge more for the “name”.

@Andy - who the hell cares what Verizon charges? It is not like it set the world on fire when they launched the service and people still went out and bought cheap GPS units for $200 en masse.

Posted by akatsuki on June 23, 2009 at 6:24 PM (CDT)

14

When I switched over to AT&T from Verizon I included the GPS price from Verizon to justify the data for the iPhone. I thought for some reason that 3.0 would update the maps program, but instead you need the TomTom or now this AT&T option for a separate fee.
Sorry, keeping the Garmin, iPhone isn’t a good enough GPS for me, app + accessory or not.

Posted by asdfasdf on June 23, 2009 at 6:33 PM (CDT)

15

Every wireless carrier in the US I’ve looked at charges about $10/month for GPS navigation on a capable phone. Some might charge a reduced fee for a 1-day pass (I rarely ever use it, so the pass is a good deal). Not sure what everyone is complaining about, except for the fun of it.

Posted by Jason on June 23, 2009 at 6:52 PM (CDT)

16

Well, I won’t be paying for this. We’ve always had access to these plans on our cell phones and NEVER paid for them.

I assume like a lot of people.

And yet we both have NAV units, which DON’T have monthly service fees. Yes, we occasionally pay for map updates, but thats something we think about each time, based on the number of issues we’ve been having. And buying one $100 update every few years is a LOT less than $10/month.

If Tom Tom sells theirs for <$30 and has a pay per use (day) mode, then we’ll buy it.

If they only sell it with a monthly fee, forget it. We’ll just continue to use the nav units we’ve already got, and print out maps when we travel, or bring them with us.

I *suppose* it matters if this has traffic, which is often a monthly fee on some GPS models. Does it? And is it not just current traffic, but predictive/patterns?

Posted by Fanfoot on June 23, 2009 at 8:35 PM (CDT)

17

NEWS FLASH: I canceled my subscription to this half-assed app BUT since I changed my ATT contract details it AUTOMATICALLY renewed my contract for another 2 years!!! It’s in the fine print and I only got the 2 hours run-around trying to remove it. No luck.

Posted by iLimp on June 23, 2009 at 8:43 PM (CDT)

18

I think if ATT would put out the application to buy for $29.95, that would be a better choice then a monthly charge.

But

I also understand that all other carrier charge around the same for the GPS service.

and

Let’s be honest, how many times we use the GPS per month. Most just have this turned on for fun.

Conclusion,
Let’s wait for a developer to create a GPS application that uses the triangle positioning system in conjunction with a preloaded map. THIS developer will make a killing! ..Sooo,.. i’m waiting ;-)

Posted by flavor4real on June 24, 2009 at 12:45 AM (CDT)

19

Not worth $10 a month to me. 1) I’m a competent map reader, and 2) I have good visual memory. When I’m lost, I pull over, drop a dot on my destination, then have Maps create a new purple line. As soon as I’m back to the line, I rarely need additional instructions.

I’m 100% positive that ATT Enterprise is not charging $10/phone/month for this service. Why should the little guy get soaked.

Posted by Aceon6 in New England, USA on June 24, 2009 at 9:43 AM (CDT)

20

lame monthly fee- what is their problem? I’d rather pay $29-$49 for the app and be done with it. ATT is already soaking everyone to the max with their service / data plans (captive iphone users). I don;t think many folks are going to pay an add’l $10 fee for s marginally usefull app.